Paul Naumoff. Defensive MVP in 2002. He did it in 2000 and again in 2003. Brazile was drafted out of Jackson State and revolutionized linebacker play in the NFL. 5.) He totaled 28 INTs in his career while he also racked up 1,045 tackles. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1974 and Defensive Player of the Year two years later. Over his career, he totaled 1,271 tackles, 12 INTs, and 19 forced fumbles. Mills, along with Swilling, was another member of that Dome Patrol defense. 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Top 10, however, is not only a sure thing but easy as it was very tough for me to keep Levy out of the top 5 over the guy that made it. No. Playing 20 seasons in the NFL is amazing at any position. When you ask who is the greatest MLB of all-time is, many people jump straight to Dick Butkus. Paul Naumoff played for 12 seasons from 1967-1978. No. Those would be accomplishments by themselves, let alone all together. 2022 - SportsUnfold. He was a hard worker, good tackler, and had great hands. Mills was more of a complete player than Swilling, although the two are too close to separate one from the other. Pat Swilling was an outstanding pass rusher in his career, totaling up 107 sacks in his career and 101.5 sacks in a 10 year period throwing out his rookie year and last season of his career. This list isnt based solely on performances from the 2020 NFL season. More Team Info. He always tried to better himself and did it effectively. 1970 Robert E. Lee Generals (13-0) Jim Chafin's team allowed just seven points a game and held 10 of its 13 opponents to 10 points or less. Baker recorded 19 . He took up blockers and threw his body around a lot. Junior Seau finished his career with 1,524 tackles, the highest total on this list. The Steel Curtain was the defensive line of the 1970s American football team Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). With time to spare in the NFL offseason, Ill take a look at the top 50 linebackers in the NFL in the modern era. Jan 25, 1981; New Orleans, LA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Oakland Raiders players Mickey Marvin (65), Willie Jones (90), Rod Martin (53), Ted Hendricks (83) and Raymond Chester (88) on the field against the Philadelphia Eagles during Super Bowl XV at the Superdome. 30, Matt Blair (Vikings) (1974-1985) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. 35, Lance Briggs* (Bears) (2003-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Cox was also a vocal leader of the teams he played for, directing his defenses to success. Keith Brooking has been one of the most consistent linebackers of all-time. [1][2] The squad consists of first- and second-team offensive, defensive, and special teams units, as well as a first- and second-team head coaches. Already in his career, Ware has forced 23 fumbles. No. He had eight seasons with 10+ sacks. (Photo: David Boss, Getty) Historians will tell you that McAdams is one of the best linebackers to ever play at The University of Oklahoma. Neal Olkewicz. Linebacker U Penn State Tradition Jack Ham as a Steeler. Answer: Two of the three were constants for all four Super Bowls and ended up in the Hall of Fame. No. *Ty Anderson, Thomasville: Anderson (6-0, 210) has been an all-state player since he was a sophomore Region 1-2A defensive co . Brooks was the leader of that defense, but his surrounding cast was just too good to rank him higher. Fredd Young went a little under the radar due to his short seven year career. ONeal should get more recognition as one of the best pass rushers to play the game. Use Isiah Robertsons name in a talk of most underrated players of all time, and youll impress your fellow football fans. He was always around the ball. Lewis was the leader of the 2000 Super Bowl winning Ravens team. Here is my ranking of the top 10 Giants linebackers, along with some honorable mentions. A late 12th round pick Mecklenburg finished his career with 79 sacks, which is great for an ILB, and also ranks 2nd all-time in Broncos history. . He would always be found around the ball, and around the play. These were the players who were great players, but not quite good enough to be placed inside the top 50. Lawrence Taylor: one of the greatest defensive players ever, Taylor was a pass-rushing force who revolutionized the outside linebacker position . Over the past decade, virtually every stage of the offensive evolution has increased stress on linebackers, putting them in a bind and asking them to account for multiple things on the same play. Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. Ranking Explanation . He could do it all. A shot of Jameson for Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey. If not, you can open it also by clicking the following link: Top 10 Athletes past the age of 40: Where does Tom Brady rank? For most other franchises, a resume like this would make Jack Ham the greatest linebacker in thier history by a wide margin. Mar 3, 2023 Updated 4 min ago. 12, Randy Gradishar (Broncos) (1974-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. could hit like a freight train, but it was his finesse and high football IQ that helped him revolutionize the linebacker position. Collect, curate and comment on your files. More from Green Bay Packers. Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . He was a very solid 3-4 ILB playing on one of the best LB Cores of all-time, the Dome Patrol. He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. Taylor changed the way football is played today. As also playing DE should tell you, he was very versatile and could play many different positions. He also ranks third all . Lewis was the leader of the 2000 Super Bowl-winning Ravens team. This team was widely regarded as having one of the best defenses of all-time. He took up blockers and threw his body around a lot. Lamberts best season was in 1976, where he won the Defensive Player of the Year award. Jalen Carter, top NFL prospect, posts bond in fatal crash. From canvas high-tops to social media dominance, the NBA has come a long way. They had traded stalwart linebacker Sam Huff in the offseason. 9-time All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. . In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNzd9Xd0who, No. Of the five LBs chosen to the 1950s All-Decade Team the others were Bednarik, Fortunato, George, and Huff Schmidt made the most Pro Bowls (nine) and the most all-pro teams (seven first-team, nine altogether). 1970 NFC Champion. Bill Romanowski (49ers, Eagles, Broncos, Raiders) : Two-time Pro Bowler. 2) Jeff Siemon: A key player as the middle linebacker on the team's top defenses in the mid-1970's, Siemon played in 156 games, starting 123, and was selected to four Pro Bowls during his eleven year career with the Vikings. 9. He also had at least 99 tackles in seven years of his 12 year career, which is outstanding. L.T. No. No. 19, Harry Carson (Giants) (1976-1988) *Nine-time Pro Bowler *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. For a four-year span with Seattle, Young was arguably the best Seahawks linebacker of all-time. Ray Lewis is another one of the three players on the list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. Jack Lambert was the teammate of Jack Ham who took the inside linebacker duties. Call it foreshadowing, but you will see some of his teammates higher up on this list. Suggs is a pass rushing monster with the Ravens. 10. Ray Lewis came into the league and dominated right away. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989. No NFL team has enjoyed the consistent level of success the Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. But perhaps more than the star players, the decade was dominated by dynasty teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, and . He also finished his career with 17 INTs. He may be one of the most hated players, but man can he play football. He did it once in 1985 and again in 1988. In his final two seasons with the Bengals, Williams was appointed to an open seat on the Cincinnati City Council in 1988 and was elected for a second term in 1989 on the Charter Party ticket. 7. 15, Zach Thomas (Dolphins/Cowboys) (1996-2008) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Young was a fierce hitter, and would always stick his nose in the middle of the play. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org. Tribute to Elvis Jackson was the vocal leader of that defense. With rule changes being what they have been, The number one pick was obvious. His best season was his first year with the Bills where he had 17.5 sacks, 70 tackles, two INTs, and three forced fumbles. With rule changes being what they have been, I decided to rank the linebackers that have played since 1970. Offerdahl was a blue collar type of player who was an even better person off the field. He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. No. Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. Wilson doesnt have the career numbers because his career was so short, but theres no doubt when he was playing he was the most feared player on the field. He was the quintessential linebacker and easily the greatest of his era. 17 Reasons why Jordan is greater than Lebron, 16 Reasons why Lebron is greater than Jordan, The 18 greates Coaches in College Football History, The Top 21 Offensive Linemen in NFL History, 19 undeniable Lies in Disney's Remember the Titans. Ware is not just an outstanding pass rusher though. Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. Their greats span the decades of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . Ray Lewis came into the league and dominated right away. Gradishar was the silent assassin of the team. The offense, meanwhile, scored 29 points a game. Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1969), three-time Pro Bowl (1970-72), two . Peppers' 159.5 career sacks rank fourth on the all-time list. He finished his career with 132.5 sacks. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. 22, Chris Spielman (Lions/Bills) (1988-1997) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. During the five year stretch from 1991-1995 where he made five consecutive Pro Bowls, Lloyd was one of, if not the, most dominating linebackers in the NFL. James Harrison. The Steelers began their 1976 season 1-4 and lost their quarterback, Terry Bradshaw.For the nine games remaining in the season, the Steelers . . He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. and 2000s. Top 10 Boxers of the 1990s: Was Roy Jones Jr. the best? No. Ham had arguably the most successful NFL career out of any of the names on this list as he was a star for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Randy Gradishar played along with Tom Jackson in the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. He is the only linebacker to ever take the honor. 16, Robert Brazile (Oilers) (1975-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Four-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Robertson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. Singletary was a leader, not only vocally, but by example. He has speed, size, toughness, instincts, vision, patience, and football smarts. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . Mike Singletary was the leader of the most dominating defense the NFL has ever seenthe 1985 Bears. 6 - Carl McAdams. Lambert wasnt just great on the inside, he was an outstanding coverage linebacker. Top 25 SEC LBs of all-time: 15-11. Opponents thought Kirkland would not be as adept in pass coverage as the fast Lloyd, but they quickly found out that Kirkland was just as fast and quick. 28a, Pat Swilling (Saints/Lions/Raiders) (1986-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Two years later, the Giants sunk to 1-12-1. 10. He had five INTs in a season twice in his career. Rickey Jackson was one of the fastest linebackers in the game, but he was also one of the hardest hitters. [3] Top 13 Indiana High School Players of all Time, The 6 greatest Indiana Highschool pure Shooters, The 8 greatest IHSAA Championship Games in History. . During his career Williams amassed 62.5 sacks, which is the second most in Bengals history. 1, Lawrence Taylor (Giants) (1981-1993) *Ten-time Pro Bowler *Eight-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Known as quite possibly the most sound tackler in school history, Ham was an extremely fundamental linebacker who was the captain of the 1970 Penn State defense. Top 30 Linebackers in the NFL since 1970! Thats over 10 sacks per season, which is outstanding. He has done it all for the Bears with his pass coverage, run support, and blitzing. 9. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. Andre Tippett. Robert "Dr. Doom" Brazile is another one of those underrated linebackers. That suggestion from the newly appointed House . The most obvious change from 1920 to today is the size of players, but there also have been many changes in the schemes . 34, Julian Peterson* (49ers/Seahawks/Lions) (2000-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 1970, slow dancing in Mark Wooldridge's basement with my first girlfriend, Karen Frey, who wore white high-top . Behind the Purple People Eaters of the 70s was one of the best safeties the league has ever seen. Robertson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. Randy Gradishar may be the single-most deserving player of a spot in Canton. He started all but one game in his last eight seasons, which is very impressive for a linebacker. Mecklenburg was never a cocky player, but just a guy who would show up on Sundays. Jeremiah The Axeman Trotter has been a very recognizable name over the past decade. Even now, you can tell what kind of person he is by his charity work with the REACH Foundation that he started. No. He was said to have the fastest 10 yard burst of any player on the team, and that included receivers John Stallworth and Lynn Swann, and runningback Franco Harris. Next up, we look at a much better-rated unit in the linebackers. No. The 1970s had many great moments by individual players such as the NFL's first 2,000-yard season by O.J. Butkus nasty disposition and ability to blow up anyone standing in his path, made him one of the most feared players in the history of the game. Most people know Tom Jackson as the commentator working with Chris Berman. He was selected late in the 12th Round, and nobody expected much out of him. No. Bill Parcells considered Carson the best all-around linebacker he ever coached, which is very high praise from someone who has coached a ton of linebackers in his day. . Not only did he change the way defenses are run, but he changed the way offensive schemes are run as well. K.J. Lawrence Taylor. Lamberts signature toothless snarl struck fear into the hearts of the opposition and lends credence to his legendary status as one of the toughest players all-time. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. He was blue collar player who was a great leader on defense and could do everything well on a football field. No. 1. He was the notorious leader of one of the greatest defenses to ever make its way onto a football field Pittsburghs famed Steel Curtain.. Selected by the Baltimore Colts in the 2nd round . Wagers only accepted in CO. For full terms and conditions, click here. Top 10 Draft Picks in Broncos History | No. Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter has returned to the NFL . In the words of Vikings' head coaching legend Bud Grant, "Paul personified the term free safety.". Briggs has made five straight Pro Bowls for the Bears, and that streak still continues. May 24, 2022. Kevin Greene was a mad man in a football uniform. Nickerson wasnt just a one hit wonder though. He is still active, and is a starter, but he might be on his way out of San Diego. The Raiders defeated the Eagles 27-10. Gradishar was the silent assassin of the team. Lambert won four Super Bowls with the Steelers in the 1970s playing in the Steel Curtain. This season marked the end for Tittle and fellow Canton-bound star Frank Gifford. Andy Russell 7x Pro Bowl, 4x All-Pro, 2x Super Bowl Champion Linebacker '63, 1966-1976 Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images. No. Nine All-Pros. He also played a big role in one of the most dominant performances by a defense in Super Bowl history. Top 10 Best Linebackers In Cleveland Browns History. Voted to seven Pro Bowls, named First Team All-Pro five times. Dennis Onkotz 1967 - 1969. He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. The only reason Brooks isnt higher up on this list is because he had a fantastic surrounding cast which includes, most notably, Warren Sapp taking up blockers on the line. No. The best LB in the NFL today comes in at No. He was Terrell Suggs before Suggs got to Baltimore. He had an outstanding attitude and would do anything to get his team a win. The Best of Tommy Brady at Michigan . No. Urlacher was an all-around great linebacker who flew around the field with reckless abandon. Robertson was one of the NFLs most athletic linebackers. Bulluck was one of the best pass coverage linebackers in NFL history. Porter will try to continue his success in Arizona and continue to climb up this list. He was very solid in coverage, good against the run, and had no real weaknesses. He should be in the Hall of Fame. Those are remarkable numbers, especially when he is still going strong. He did anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. Its too bad Fredd Youngs career had to end prematurely due to injuries. He was just a great all-around player who could do it all. The entire enterprise of Notre Dame basketball, gone strange. Beason has only been in the league for three years now. He produced 32 sacks over the 3 seasons. Thomas was one of the most instinctive linebackers of all-time. 3 hours ago. Lambert was a Pro Bowler in all but his rookie season and his final pro season, totaling nine selections. In his time in the NFL, he intercepted 25 passes and returned six of them for touchdowns with three of those in 2002 alone. Im only going to be looking at players drafted in 1970 or later. 24, Leslie ONeal (Chargers/Rams/Chiefs) (1986-1999) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Siemon was always a good player, but never a great player. Rickey Jackson doesnt always get the credit he deserves, but hes a top 10 linebacker of the modern era. Lawrence Taylor of course, is regarded as the best 3-4 linebacker ever, . Top 13 Cincinnati Reds Starting Pitchers of all time. Regardless, he definitely deserves the respect for what he accomplished on the field. In this Article . Franchise Encyclopedia. Wilson recorded 560 tackles and 21.5 sacks as a member of the Broncos. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. The 'Skins historically have had some solid inside linebackers capable of both stopping the run and being reliable in coverage. He had 1,301 tackles and 25 forced fumbles in his career. Depending on the day, you might view Ham as the best player on the Steel Curtain defense or the 4th best, and it's . Tippett finished his career with 100 sacks. Brooks wasnt just a pass coverage linebacker, but he also played the run well. Lance Briggs may be overshadowed by Brian Urlacher, but dont forget how great of a player Briggs has been for the Bears. Chuck Drazenovich. But in those three years, hes racked up 328 tackles and seven INTs, all while starting every game of his career. Jack Lambert played middle linebacker. Ware has made four consecutive Pro Bowls and has had three consecutive All-Pro seasons. No. He even made the Pro Bowl in a year that he only started eight games and also a year in which he only started nine games. Chip Banks was another linebacker that was solid at everything, but not great at anything. He has already had three 100 tackle seasons in his first three years, and also has already forced 10 turnovers (four INTs, six forced fumbles). Check out the 1970 Minnesota Vikings Roster, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports and more on Pro-Football-Reference.com. 36, Jeremiah Trotter (Eagles/Redskins/Bucs) (1999-2007 & 2009) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. No. Mecklenburg finished his career with 79 sacks, which is great for an ILB, and also ranks 2nd all-time in Broncos history. Here Are 8 Ways NBA Has Changed That Modern Fans Don't Realize. 25, Karl Mecklenburg (Broncos) (1983-1994) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Three-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro Karl "The Albino Rhino" Mecklenburg was the definition of a blue collar player. 47, Fredd Young (Seahawks/Colts) (1984-1990) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. There was a story of someone meeting Thomas at the Pro Bowl for no longer than 10 minutes. . Brooks is most known for his coverage ability in the Bucs cover-two scheme. Here's a list of the Packers' top 10 all-time defensive players since 1950, when unlimited substitution was restored to the NFL, paving the way for two-platoon football. Jeff Siemon (Vikings) : Four-time Pro Bowler. James Farrior* (Jets/Steelers): Two-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro, one-time 2nd Team All-Pro. LT finished his career with 142 sacks, averaging nearly 11 sacks per season. Running back Larry Csonka of the Miami Dolphins is brought down by linebacker Henry Davis of . Jack Ham might be the best coverage linebacker of all-time. Brooking was the face of the Falcons defense for nearly a decade, and is a well-rounded player. Ham had outstanding . Al Wilson was an outstanding MLB for the Broncos. NFL Defensive Rookie of the . He is ninth in team history with 14 forced fumbles; he recovered 11, had 6 QB sacks, and 11 interceptions. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1960s Chicago 1981-92. How NFL Players Have Evolved. 2. Jackson tallied up 128 sacks in his career, but even thats not his most impressive number. Briggs does a lot of pass coverage with the Bears, and has had 53 passes deflected already in his career. Johnson was most known for his days with the Saints. Banks was a player that any coach would want on their team. The line was the backbone of the Steelers dynasty, which won four Super Bowls (IX, X, XIII, and XIV) in six years.. No. Zach Thomas. 21, Patrick Willis* (49ers) (2006-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He had five INTs in a season twice in his career. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well.
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